Re: But they helped us catch the suspects . . .

Except that terrorists are suicidal, so it's no bother to them to have their faces on film.

I wouldn't think I would have to tell you this, but obviously that does not apply to all of terrorists. If that were true, then Dzhokhar Tsarnaev would've killed himself rather than allow himself to get captured and Osama bin Laden would not have gone into hiding like a little puss.

In fact, that these terrorists didn't commit suicide is the single most suspicious thing about the incident, for me. I won't go so far as to affirm any of the conspiracies being talked about - but terrorists who don't commit suicide? Really? Hmmm

Um, there are a lot of them. If there weren't, then al Qaeda would've self-destructed long ago.

Probably because it's illegal to film police in many places around the world (and more than a few in the US, including several whole states.) You can also be thrown out of a variety of places for filming. I know, I've had that too: strip clubs, concerts, movie theaters, museums, conferences, malls and department stores, banks, stadiums and sports arenas, you name it What's good for the goose

But you are essentially arguing that two wrongs make a right. In fact, I agree with you here--we should be able to film the authorities when they are operating in the public just as much as they film us. Anyway, these kinds of laws are not universal, and they haven't yet been challenged in the courts as far as I know.

That's never deterred tyrants. Their goal is not to induce compliance, but fear.

Well, I am not afraid of the authorities, even though I know for certain am on their radar. I am more afraid of garden variety civilian douchebags who might think they are doing the world a favor by attacking or killing me because of who I am. I have lived as an out MAP for almost a decade now and have yet to be hassled by anyone in law enforcement, but I have been assaulted once by a civilian douchebag. I have also been harassed, threatened, etc. by civilian douchebags. So my experience tells me who I should REALLY be afraid of, and it's not the cops.